Trunk-catch



J. E. LADD.

TRUNK GATGH.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

, represented by the letter 13.

nrran STATES PATTNT Crrrcn.

JAMES E. LADD, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

TRUNK-CATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,347, datedSeptember 1, 1885.

Application filed March 30, 1885. (N0 model.)

To all 21171 0712 it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JAMES E. LADD, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Catches,ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying sheet of drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in so-called trunk-catches" ortrunk-fasteners, my immediate object being to provide at amoderate costa catch which combines great strength with extreme simplicity, and whichwhen once looked cannot by reason of accident become loosened andopened.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedtrunk-catch as it appears when in position on the trunk and is closed.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts as in the act of separation.Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the upper or tenon section; andFig. i is a sectional view on line 0 a.- of Fig. 1, showing also indotted lines the tenon Z) opened, as it about to be withdrawn from itsmortise.

The letter A represents the upper half of the base-plate of my device,having secured to the side which engages the companion plate a tenon,b,which extends well downward, and is hinged orjointed at a point nearits middle portion. The lower half of the base-plate is Said section Bis mortised from the side which confronts the tenon Z), and is alsoprovided, preferably,with side walls, which extend downward from saidmortised portion, thus forming guides to direct the tenon as it isentered in the mortise, and also stifiening to a certain extent theplate I That portion of the tenon b which extends through the mortise ispreferably reduced somewhat in thickness, and, as above stated, isjointed at a point near the center of the reduced portion, so that itsouter portion may be folded back upon itself, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4,in which position it will be seen that the end of the partt-hus folded,which is farthest from the joint or hinge, abuts against the inner wallof the mortised portion; and it will be understood that the two partscannot be again separated until the engaging end of the jointed tenonshall have been disengaged from the inner wall of the mortised portion.This I do by turning the outer portion of the tenon back into theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As a. convenient means for retaining the tenon in either an open oraclosed position, as desired, I have arranged in a groove in the rearside of said tenon a spring, 0, which acts on the flattened inner end ofthe jointed section substantially as the back spring of a knife acts ona blade. I have also out under the free end of said jointed section andthat portion of the mortise-wall which it engages when closed, forgreater convenience in picking up the end of the jointed section.

On the lower end of plate B is a rib, e, cast integral with said plate,on which the tenon rests when opened, the object of said rib being tohold the tenon from close engagement with the plate B, so that saidtenon may be easily picked up when it is desired to close the tenon tolock the parts together.

While Ihave for convenience of description referred to the tenon b as ahinged or jointed tenon, it should be observed that the portion of thetenon which, when the parts are brought together, rests within themortise is of itself a rigid tenon, and in connection with themortise-plate forms a dowel, while the outer or hinged portion of bconstitutes aloclzing latch or device, which is hinged to the lower endof said rigid tenon, and is adapted to fasten the parts together byhaving that end which is farthest from its joint engage a stationarypart of the mortise-plate-viz.,one of the walls of the mortise.

It should be also noticed that the joint, hinge, or pivot, whichever itmay be called, of the tenon, by being located at the outer end of therigid tenon, must necessarily pass through the mortise, and that it liesin such a position when the parts A and B are fastened together that allstrain in a direction to separate said parts is exerted in a directionsubstantially lengthwise with the locking-latch or hinged portion,whereby I produce a trunkcatch having great strength.

I am aware that a prior patent shows a trunk-fastener containing thedowel system, and having a hooked latch pivoted o1 hinged to the sameplate that bears the dowel-pin or rigid tenon at a point above the tenonproper,

' to be passed through said mortise and folded backward upon itself,substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with a base-plate pro- Vided with both the stop-rib eand a mortise having extended side walls, a companion plate, having ajointed tenon adapted to be passed through said mortise and folded'backupon itself to prevent the withdrawal of said tenon, as described, andfor the purpose specified.

In combination with a base-plate provided with a mortise and a companionplate having a jointed tenon adapted to be passed through said mortiseand then folded backward upon itself to prevent the withdrawal of saidtenon, a spring which, bearing onthe flattened hinged end of the foldingsection, acts to hold said section in either an opened or closedposition, as desired, substantiallylas described.

4. In a trunk-catch, a base-plate provided with a mortise, incombination with a companion plate having a rigid tenon adapted to entersaid mortise, the two forming a dowel, and a locking device hinged orjointed there- .to, said locking device and its joint being located onthat part of the tenon which enters said mortise, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose specified.

JAMES E. LADD.

Witnesses:

EDDY N. SMITH, JOHN EDWARDs, Jr.

